Continuing Professional Development

Important changes to CPD requirements due to COVID-19 pandemic

The College and relevant Boards and Councils understand that practitioners may have difficulty meeting CPD requirements this year as a result of withdrawn/denied leave requests, conference cancellations and the re-prioritisation necessary to meet workforce needs. They recognise the importance of the professions being able to focus on the most urgent matters at hand.

Therefore, continuing professional development requirements have been relaxed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please see below regarding requirements for your jurisdiction.

The RCPA encourages all Fellows to continue to undertake CPD, including personal study and online collaborative learning, that is relevant to scope of practice as far as possible.

Requirements for Practitioners in Australia - COVID-19

In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Medical Board of Australia will not take action if you cannot meet the CPD registration standard when you renew your medical registration in 2021. This relates to the CPD activities that you undertake during 2020.

See details of the MBA response to the COVID-19 pandemic

See details of the DBA response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Requirements for Practitioners in New Zealand - COVID-19

Medical practitioners

The MCNZ will exempt all vocationally-registered doctors from recertification programme requirements until 28 February 2021. Council staff will not be auditing doctors for compliance with recertification programmes over the coming 11 months, but Council will expect doctors to be enrolled and actively participating in their required programmes from 1 March 2021.

As we move closer to 28 February 2021, Council staff will work with the Colleges on a strategy to resume recertification programmes and associated audit activity.

See details of the MCNZ response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Dental practitioners

The Dental Council of New Zealand Council has decided to suspend the current recertification programme that ends on 31 December 2020. This means practitioners are not required to complete CPD and contact peer activities for the time being.

See details of the DCNZ response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

IMPORTANT NOTICE for CPDP 2020

The RCPA CPDP is changing in line with the strengthened CPD requirements of the Medical Board of Australia and the Medical Council of New Zealand. The new program will take effect from the beginning of 2020, and you will see a new website after you have completed your submission for 2019. The information on this page applies to the existing program to the end of 2019.

You may preview the requirements of the new program at the new CPD Program page.

IMPORTANT NOTICE for pre 2020 CPDP

For information relating to the existing program to the end of 2019 please read pre 2020 CPD Program.

INFORMATION

If you have any queries regarding the RCPA CPDP, please consult the Tips and FAQ page or contact cpdp@rcpa.edu.au.

The RCPA is the leading organisation representing Pathologists and Senior Scientists in Australasia.

Its mission is to train and support pathologists and senior scientists and to improve the use of pathology testing to achieve better healthcare.

Quick Links

Pathology Update 2020

The annual scientific meeting for the RCPA which covers the scientific disciplines of Anatomical, Chemical, Forensic, Genetic, General, Haematology, Immunopathology and Microbiology.